THE BUTCHERY TRADE.

Taranaki Daily News, 1 March 1921, Page 6

THE BUTCHERY TRADE.

EMPLOYEES’ WAGES. AGREEMENT BETWEEN PARTIES. The dispute in the butchery trade was before the Conciliation Council which sat at New Plymouth yesterday, and a full settlement arrived at between the employers and men in conference was confirmed. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. T. Harle Giles) presided, and the assessors were as follow:—-For the employers: Messrs. O. W. Sole, J. Philp and C. H. Wynyard. For the employees: Messrs. H. Herdman and F. J. Lyons. The agreement reached in conference between the employers and employees provided for a flat rate of £5 per week for all experienced butchers employed in connection with, the business, wages to be retrospective to first payment in January. Casual workers (experienced butchers) to be paid not less than 2s 6d per hour; general hands not less than 2s per hour. The is to apply to all employers carrying on business within a radius of twenty miles from the chief post office, New Plymouth. The hours of work shall not exceed 48 per week, apportioned as follow: Between 7 a.m. and 5.30 p.m. on four days a week; Saturdays, between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m., with one hour allowed each day for dinner; and on one day of the week between 7 a.m. and 12 noon. Overtime to be paid at the rate of time and a half, except on Sundays, when double rates are to be paid. The rates for youths and boys were fixed as follow: Under 16 years of age £1 per week; 16 to 17 years, £1 ss; 17 to 18 years £1 12s fid; 18 to 19, £2; 19 to 20' £2 7s 6d; 20 to 21 years, £2 15s. The holidays agreed upon were: New Year’s Day, January 2, Good Friday, Easter Monday, King’s Birthday, Labor Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day. The employers may arrange for any worker to work for not more than two hours on any of the foregoing days, provided he shall pay such worker overtime in addition to ordinary pay. By agreement with the union the employers in any town or place may substitute any other day or days for 411 of the holidays above mentioned. ' The preference clause included provided that if any employer should thereafter engage any workers coming within the scope of the award who should not become a member of the union within .fourteen days after his engagement, and remain a member, the employer should dismiss such worker from his service if requested to do so by the union, provided there was a member of the union equally qualified to perform the particular work required to be done, and ready and willing to undertake the same. When the employers engage who is not a member of the union they shall within fourteen days notify the secretary of such engagement. The usual clause in regard to admission to membership of the union was included in the agreement, and also that with regard to under-rate workers. In the event of Saturday beconiing the half-holiday in the districts covered by the award, provision was made for altering the hours of work on Friday to allow the shops keeping open until 8 p.m. on Fridays. The term of the award was fixed as from January 1, 1921, to December 31, 1921. Messrs. Scott and Davidson and W. G. Mack (pork butchers) were granted exemption from the provision of the award so long as they did not sell fresh, meat after the hours fixed for the closing of butchers’ shops under the award. The sitting was then adjourned till 10 a.m. to-morrow, the official date fixed for hearing the dispute, when the parties will sign the agreement reached. Prior to the council rising, complimentary references were made both by the employees and employers to the tactful manner in which the Commissioner had handled the dispute. Mr. Lyons acted as spokesman for the union, and Mr. Wynyard for the employers, and Mr. T. Harle Giles suitably acknowledged the compliment, expressing his firm belief in the conciliation method, and also on the reasonableness of the majority of unionists and employers.